Monday, November 7, 2011

OKAY! Today in gossip - assorted odds and ends! 3D; Metallica; Akshay, Deepika, Abhishek... and a pretty new song from Atif Aslam and Shreya Ghoshal.

* This is wrong on so many levels - filmmakers are looking to "churn out" short action films in 3D. Apparently, the 3D version of that movie that just came out was the most profitable part of it... what I'm wondering is if anybody asked themselves, "Hey, maybe we should take a look at all the costs of making and screening films in 3D versus how large the audience for a short action flick NOT starring Shahrukh Khan will be."

It costs 15% more on average to produce a 3D movie, including the cost of conversion from the 2D format, while theatre owners need to invest in 3D projectors, a silver screen and 3D glasses. "Bollywood is being pushed to rewrite its script - to making compact, one-and-halfhour movies, like in Hollywood, and to doling out action movies instead of lovey-dovey flicks," says Nishant Fadia, chief financial officer of Prime Focus.

What is wrong with people?! Who is pushing Bollywood to rewrite its script other than guys like this who can make lots of money from theaters converting to be able to show 3D films? The biggest hits of the year were the OPPOSITE of compact one-and-half hour Hollywood-like movies. As much as I would like to see Rohit Shetty car stunts in 3D, I don't think its worth the expense for anybody at the moment.

* The Tibetan community in India is unimpressed with the Censor Board's decision to censor a "Free Tibet" flag in Rockstar. This is the interesting thing (to me) about the Censor Board - and what makes it preferable to the "privatized" MPAA ratings board we have in the US. The Censor Board asks Rockstar to censor something and it becomes NEWS. People can protest the decision; talk about the decision; the issue gets raised in the media. The MPAA isn't part of the government and we, the American public, never hear about the board that censors our films.

"It is extremely disturbing that such a grotesque violation of free speech is occurring in the world's largest democracy", remarked Dorjee Tseten, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet- India. "By caving in to Chinese pressure, the Censor Board is allowing China to threaten the freedom and liberties that Indians enjoy".

He added, "Tibetans are dying for freedom. In the last eight months, eleven Tibetans in Tibet have set themselves on fire in protest of Chinese rule. At this critical time- when Tibetans are suffering so desperately under Chinese repression- one would expect India to be promoting and protecting the Tibetan people's basic human rights, not censuring their struggle in a free country, simply because China demands it."

* My father follows news related to Norway, so he knew about this one before I did. The Dunno Y... boys are starring in a Norwegian music video.

* Oh, dear... let's hope Abbas-Mustan have it in them to make Abhishek Bachchan doing stunts look believable. Although I suppose if they could do it for Akshaye Khanna, they can do it for Abhi... I'm still cautiously optimistic for Players.